


From Despair to Hope

by FaithSpear



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-14 14:30:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7175696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaithSpear/pseuds/FaithSpear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Gundam Tanaka wakes up from his comma, his memories from the menacing school trip were gone. Now he's back to his former state of Super High School Level Despair, and the Future Foundation tries to execute him classifying him as a major danger to humanity....except Souda steps in and tells them to fuck off. Now Souda has to turn him into Super High School Level Hope in only a month.....will he be able to save his friend?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Unstable

**Author's Note:**

> Finished with finals! I'm so happy! XD

Souda Kazuichi hated Tanaka Gundam.

That in itself was an unwavering fact, one that will never change unless princess Sonia miraculously turned her love to Souda. But that wasn't happening. So he hated Gundam because he had everything, he had Sonia's love all for himslelf, and Souda hated him even more because he knew that wasn't Gundam's fault. Yet he just couldn't get rid of the fucking rage and hatred growing inside him

He almost even wished Gundam hadn't woken up from his comma. But he did, just today.

A year had passed since that maddening school trip. Most of the students had opened their eyes, one by one, during that past year... actually, Gundam was the last to wake up.

"Souda-kun! I've just heard, they say it's okay to visit him now! Although his memories are kind of...jumbled, so don't get a shock when you visit him and he makes his four Devas attack."

"Oh? Oh, you mean Gundam, right? No worries, Sonia-san, I'm sure he'll get fine if we give him a few days..."

And his four Devas would probably attack even if his memories weren't jumbled, he murmured under his breath. Not loud enough for the Novesilic royalty to hear, though.

"I do hope so...care to visit with me, Souda-kun?"

"O-of course! It's my honor to!"

Although if it wasn't for Sonia, he wouldn't even want to look at his face.

.

.

.

An hour had passed when Souda and Sonia met up in the hospital.

They weren't the only ones visiting, however; Naegi Makoto, an official from the future foundation, had also visited. He cast a rather worried glance towards the mechanic and the princess.

"Now, now, I said you could visit, but I don't want to recommend it to you guys...he's, um, he's really...unstable."

Souda snorted at Naegi's words. He doesn't really have any room to get any more unstable from what he was in the school trip, does he?

"I-I'd rather you don't see him, in fact, because..."

"Nah. Don't worry about it, that guy was nuts from the very beginning. A few more screws missing won't make him any worse."

"Souda-kun! You shouldn't say things like that...hehe."

Sonia giggles, making Souda blush. He doesn't really understand why Naegi looks so...downright depressed. The final student in comma finally woke up, right? Although the future foundation messed up a lot, in the end, the project was a success so Naegi should be more happy...right?"

"But hey, Souda-kun, don't you think Naegi-kun's acting kind of strange...? I mean, he seems pretty shaked up and everything..."

"Seriously, Sonia-san, no worries...anybody who sees Gundam for the first time would think he's unstable."

"I-I guess so."

It was only when they entered Tanaka Gundam's room when they realized what Naegi had truly meant by "unstable."


	2. Chapter One: Amnesia....and Super High School Level Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Souda and Sonia visits Gundam to congratulate him on waking up from his coma. Apparently he doesn't want to be congratulated.

When Sonia knocked on the door, nobody answered.

“Gundam-san! Hello? Is anyone there?....That’s strange....”

That’s strange, Souda thought. Maybe he was sleeping....Gundam was a strange guy, buy he was a good person in heart and he would never do something like ignoring one of his friends, which was one of the other reasons Souda hated Gundam so much. 

It felt pathetic that he was the only one getting angry and shouting like an idiot every single time while Gundam tried his best to take care of him....to take care of everyone, by sacrificing himself. 

It made Souda look so stupid, that he would hate somebody so kind just because Sonia liked him.

“Let me try, Sonia-san. Maybe he’s sleeping and you aren’t knocking hard enough....a good bang with my hammer will probably do the trick.”

“Um, Souda-kun, I really don’t think banging on the hospital door with a hammer is a good idea...”

Too late. Souda had just took out his hammer, and... bang! 

“There! There’s no way he won’t wake up hearing THAT!”

Truly, it seemed so, as the two Super High School Levels finally got an answer from the door. Subdued squeaking and hissing could be heard from....wait, what?

“Did I just hear a hiss?”

“I- I think it’s just the four whatsoever Devas, Sonia-san....”

“Well, certainly they’re the only animals Tanaka-san had on himself, but they sure don’t hiss.”

“It’s just a trick of the ears, haha! Maybe you need some rest, fatigue can cause hallucinations. Hey, wait. The door’s not even locked!”

Souda grabbed the doorknob and turned it around. Yes, the door wasn’t locked, judging from the smoothness when it turned. 

“Even if it’s not locked, knocking is a necessary manner.”

“I know that, Sonia-san, but that guy’s never gonna answer to knocks! Just leave it to me!”

Just when Souda pushed the door open....that happened.

 

 

The first thing Souda noticed was the strong scent of animal fur. Two snakes, both of them the color of withering grass, slithered among the floors right towards Souda and Sonia. On the back, there were the four Dark Devas of Destruction, resting in a scarf, watching them intently....then there was Tanaka.

His whole body was tied up, restraining his now frail body-no wonder, when he was sleeping for a year and all he got were essential nutrients in liquid form-and firmly securing it onto the bedpost. His hair was in a tangled mess, and his eyes...

No...those weren’t his eyes.

The Gundam Tanaka sitting in front of them had different-coloured eyes, a black coat, black hair with strands of gray, and a scar on his eyes. Yet he certainly wasn’t Gundam Tanaka. His eyes had a strange look, almost like a madman, full of...

....despair.

That was a word Souda hated with all his heart. Despair, hope, future....anything that was even remotely related with that killing school trip pissed Souda off. Especially despair. He’d rather use any kind of word that wasn’t despair. 

But he had to admit, the eyes were different. They had lost their light. While the Gundam they knew about in the school trip was just somebody normal with a very....strange way of talking,....but this.....the man bound up in front of them, he couldn’t imagine him sulking with his hamsters or pulling up his scarf to hide his embarrassed face like the Gundam they knew all too well about. 

It was almost like Tsumiki when she got the “Remembering Disease.”

“So- Souda-kun....kyaah!”

“Ah! Sonia san!”

Souda had almost forgotten about those snakes making their way toward. Souda quickly raised the spanner he had with him (Not that it was going to be much help against snakes) when he heard the familiar low, growling voice.

 

“Stop.”

 

It was almost as if the snakes were obeying his words. They quietly slithered back next to the four Devas—how could that guy leave snakes next to hamsters—and rested themselves next to the scarf.

“A-ah, Gundam! Um, oh, long time....no see?”

“Tanaka-san! I’m-I’m so glad you woke up!”

“Hey, but what’s up with those bondages? Maybe somebody actually believed your crap about the fires of hell and got scared you’ll kill them in your sleep? Haha...”

“You didn’t have to surprise us like that, Tanaka-san....

Both of them started small talk at once, but both of them knew that wasn’t it. There was something strange about Gundam, but something was also familiar, and it certainly wasn’t because he was half-angel and half-devil like his claims. But rather....

His state was similar of that when they first met, not in the field trip....but when they met in the Future Foundation under Enoshima Junko’s orders to infiltrate. Similar to the days of “Super-High School Level Ultimate Despair”...

“What are you lowlifes talking about?”

His ways of talking had also changed; the normal Tanaka probably would have said, “Kneel, humans, in front of the fearsome powers of my guardian dragons!”....or something of that sort. Apparently Sonia had also noticed something strange. She took a step forward, when the snakes hissed menacingly from their position.

“What-what are YOU talking about? Don’t you remember us? I-I’ll whack you over the head with a spanner if you dare forgot somebody as refined and beautiful as Sonia-san!...not that it’s okay to forget me, the great mechanic....”

“......Of course, I cannot expect anything from things that talk....so it seems....our plan has failed.”

“Huh....? Plan? What plan?”

Gundam raised his face slightly. His face was never friendly, but the dark circles and the bones protruding from his face... it made him look downright frightening. Messy hair and chains wrapped around him certainly did NOT help.

“I see...the future foundation has fascinating brainwashing abilities. It seems the end has come for me.”

“Wha--”

“I pity you two... for not being able to experience this utmost despair of execution... of helplessly watching while fellow despairs turn to hope....fuhahahahahahaha!!!!”

“Huh? Despair? Brainwashing? What the--”

“Silence! I will hear nothing from traitors! Now if you do not want my heavenly Devas to get mad—for they are not as generous as I—I suggest you leave!”

“Okay....wait, I mean, hell no! You were a shitty guy from the start, but I never thought you were this outrageous-besides, I’m not even afraid of your hamst—your heavenly Devas or something like that!”

“Sou-Souda kun, I think it’s best if we leave him for now?”

Sonia tugged at Souda’s clothes softly. She seemed afraid, as if she had something on her mind—something that might explain this ridiculous situation, but something she didn’t like that much. Souda looked at her, than back at Gundam.

“If this is a new concept or-or a sick joke of yours, you better stop it right now...”

“....”

Gundam didn’t answer, as if he suddenly lost all interest to the “traitors” in front of him. He aimlessly squeaked and hissed at his animals. The sounds he were making were so strange Souda almost thought he went berserk for a second time...until he noticed the hamsters squeaking back at him. 

“Come on, Sonia-san....nothing’s gonna come out of this. Naegi was right, he is a bit unstable.....it’s probably from the shock, you know. I mean, when Peko woke up and saw Kuzuryuu she was crying for five full hours because she thought Kuzuryuu died and followed her into hell......it must be pretty hard to wake up when you thought you were dead, I’m sure he’ll get over it.”

“Yes, I sure hope....ah, Naegi-san!”

Just as they left the hospital room, they bumped into Naegi, who was hurrying somewhere with a bunch of documents in his hand. 

“Oh, it’s you two. So how’s Tanaka-san?”

“Are you fucking kidding us? You let us go into a room with A SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BREEDER WHO’S MENTALLY UNSTABLE plus poisonous snakes?! Is this some kind of sick scheme of the Future Foundation to, what, secretly root out all past Super High School Level Despairs?!?”

The one that seemed most surprised to hear that, however, was Naegi.

“He has SNAKES with him? No-but I, I’m sure he had no animals beside him save for the hamsters....”

“Since when did hamsters slither around hissing?”

“God, sorry, I gotta go now! Seriously, snakes in future foundation, gotta tell this to Togami-kun...”

Naegi mumbled as he got out of sight, murmuring and grumbling to himself while Souda and Sonia just stared at each other. 

“What the heck even happened to Gundam? Sonia-san, do you have any ideas?”

“I have a hunch....but....I’d rather I was wrong about this. You must have noticed it too, since you share the same past....Forgive me if I don’t want to say it out loud.”

Yes, he did have a hunch. But he didn't want to believe it. 

Souda never actually liked the guy, of course. Sometimes he actually wished he never woke up from his long sleep. But this.....this was just wrong. This was even worse than being in a comma.

Those empty eyes of his reflected nothing at all....the chains, the mad look on his face, and rambling on and on about how Souda and Sonia were “traitors” and “brainwashed by the future foundation” and worst of all.....that frightening, masochistic smile playing on his lips while he talked about execution and utmost despair.....when he, himself said just before his execution that life is something to be cherished....

It wasn’t just a hunch. Souda knew. No matter how much he tried to look away from the truth, the truth would still be there, tugging at him.   
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
Super High School Level Despair was back.


	3. Chapter Two: A Month

“But amnesia can be cured, Sonia-san! There’s nothing to worry about! Really....!”

Souda’s voice faltered, because he knew there was something to worry about. He shuddered every single time just thinking about his days as Despair, when every single day he felt there was absolutely nothing to life. It was a rather unpleasant experience, something he’d rather die than do again. 

“Yes, he certainly will get better. We must not lose hope, just like Hinata-san did back then, right? Hehe...”

That was right. Tanaka would return to them in no time. Soon again he’d be telling Gundam to shoo off with his hamsters. He in turn would be telling Souda to go burn in river Styx.....right?

.....So why were “they” talking about executing Gundam Tanaka?  
.  
.  
.  
.  
Several days had passed from their first encounter with Tanaka. In those several days, Souda was nearly choked by a snaked, killed by a scorpion sting, and also bitten by hamsters so much his left arm looked pretty similar to Gundam’s own now....but Souda was sure he would go back to his usual self the next day. Souda was certain Gundam would get better the next day and that the guy’s gonna tell his four Devas to attack Souda and nuzzle up on Sonia. 

...So why were they standing in a courtroom, Gundam completely tied up in chains, with the other classmates standing next to him and Togami Byakuya-the thin one-glaring at them?

“Um-hey, if you don’t mind, Gundam’s still a patient so I think it’s best if you don’t keep him standing for too long.....”

“I’ll keep that in mind. He certainly won’t be standing as a cadaver.”

“Oh, of course, then......huh?!? Wait, what??! Did you just fucking say a cadaver? Is it April Fool’s today?”

“Tch....I wouldn’t involve myself in those foolish events even if it was actually April Fools.”

Togami clicked his tongue and somehow Souda thought his glare got sharper. His other friends were totally freaking out. Tsumiki burst into tears as soon as she heard the word cadaver, running around checking on how Gundam was doing and asking other people if cadaver actually meant the thing she was thinking about. Mioda, of couse, was foaming at the mouth again like the usual Mioda, while Kuzuryuu and Peko seemed ready enough to take out their swords and guns. 

“But Gundam isn’t dead!”

“He soon will be.”

“What?!? How come??”

“The higher-ups decided on this matter. The current future foundation isn’t really stable. Even one Super High School Level Despair can be our downfall....which is why we decided to execute him.”

On the word “execute”, a broken laughter could be heard from the defendant’s seat. It was a shivering laughter. One that sent chills straight down to the bones- it showed distrust, hatred, and many other things most people in the world would rather not think about. 

“Well, then, what are you scum waiting for? It would be best to plunge me into the pits of Netherworld before my four Devas anger--”

“Goddammit, Gundam, you shut up for a moment, I’m actually trying to save your ass here!”

“Pay no heed to the traitor’s word! Ahahahaha!!” 

”God....anyways, I swear, he’s going to get better and his amnesia’s going to go away in a few days so why even bother killing him?!?“

“He’d better cure himself in the next hour then. That’s when we’re going to carry out the execution.”

“Wha- What the fuck! You guy’s aren’t any different from Super High School Level Despairs if all you do is fucking kill everyone who’s a potential danger off, now, are you?”

The Super High School Level Schion stared at them coldly. Souda seriously thought this was the end for the Ultimate Breeder, until--

“....I suppose so.”

“Please give us some time---wait, uh, what?”

“I said, I suppose so. Perhaps you might care to get hearing aid for yourself...?”

Togami sighed—this was probably about the hundredth time he did that today—and started to talk slowly.

“I have a hard time imagining that executing Gundam Tanaka without giving him any chance will do any good to the future foundation’s reputation...so I will give you a chance.”

“Whoa, are you serious?!”

Everyone’s face lightened up instantly hearing that they won’t have to watch their friend die right here and now. Especially Sonia, who was hiccuping and streaming tears from her beautifully coloured eyes—it pleased Souda to see his princess like that. Ignoring the fact that the man—Gundam Tanaka—was the one who made her so happy. 

“But I can’t give you forever. A month. That’s all you have to turn Gundam Tanaka into Super High School Level...Hope. The future foundation will do nothing except provide medication for amnesia—although I doubt it will go well with all those beasts baring their fangs every time any kind of nurse enters.”

“A month? You mean we have thirty days to turn tha-turn him into Super High School Level Hope? But that’s too...”

Togami Byakuya rolled his eyes slightly. 

“I thought you said he’ll heal with a few days? Besides...I could very well settle with thirty minutes instead of thirty days....”

“Okay, okay, fine, we’re taking it! Now can we go?”

“...Yes. It seems that is all. Well, then.”

A slight grin played itself on the blonde’s face. Souda didn’t like it. It almost looked like he was enjoying some kind of fun game for himself. Something like ‘Guess whether Tanka Gundam will turn into Hope in just a matter of month! Fail and Gundam goes boom! Oops, and just so you know, he’s going to set every kind of poisonous animal existing on earth on you if you try to approach him!‘

....Yep, he definitely liked the fake Togami better. 

“Good luck....You will need an exceeding amount of it.”

And that was how it all ended....and started.   
.  
.  
.  
.  
.

“Togami-kun...weren’t you being a bit to harsh to them?”

“Hmph. Peons of those kind cannot do their best unless they are pushed to the extreme. Personally, if the choice was up to me, I would execute him right now....”

“Oh? But weren’t you the one that threatened the officials that you’ll set Genocider Syo free on their family unless they give Tanka-san another chance?”

“Ack! Kirigiri! Since when were you there—and I told you specifically to keep that a secret!”

The violet-haired girl had creeped up on both boys silently, surprising the two of them. Especially Togami—although of course, he refused to admit it. The said scion’s face had blushed into a deep scarlet, having his little secret revealed.

“I don’t have any obligations to follow your orders. You never know, I might have stayed quiet if you actually asked me nicely...”

Both Kirigiri and Naegi had a hearty laugh at that, because of course it was impossible for Togami to ask somebody “nicely”. The most he could do was grit his teeth, growl out an order, then add a half-hearted please behind it. However, now both of them knew he never had any bad intentions when he did that. 

“Anyways, Togami-kun, you have a summon to answer...probably because they want to ask you why you gave them a whole month when they only agreed to a week?”

“Kirigiri, tell those scumbags to try dumping a bit of acid on their brain if they seriously thought Super High School Level Despair could be turned into Super High School Level hope in a matter of week.”

“Either you ask me nicely, or you tell them yourself. But I finally get why you wanted to broadcast the whole thing....now they can’t even change their words about the time limit since the trial was on air. It would stain the reputation of future foundation...”

“....Hm. You know too much, as always. Oi, Naegi, Let’s go to the archives. I have some work to do there.”

“You should ask me nicely--”

“I’ll be nice to you on the bed. Now come on, I don’t have time to stand around.”

Now Naegi was the one to blush, his ears turning as red as a ripe strawberry ready for picking. 

“You- you shouldn’t say stuff like that in front of--!”

Heeding no attention to Naegi’s protests, the Scion grabbed him by his wrists to half-pull, half-escort him away. Kirigiri stares at them for a moment, giggles, and then turns to head for the conference room.

All three of them smiled and joked around with each other, but all three had the same thought in mind: 

Even the precious one month Togami bought them by threatening and putting himself in danger might be too little.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ultimates try to make a plan in order to help Tanaka out when something really unexpected and fucked up happens

However, although they had bought Tanaka some time.....it still seemed like there was a long way to go. Tanaka had been sedated and returned to his room, after his almost successful attempt to call his “friends”. The term pretty much meant “deadly poisonous insects small enough to creep through the cracks of the courtroom.” All the Super High School Level students had to admit that the situation at hand was pretty serious when even Komaeda looked lost. Their white-haired colleague cautiously started talking after a few drudging moments passed. 

“Guys, it’s not something like trash like I should suggest but perhaps it would be easier to kill him without any pain, and quickly?”

“Wait, no, no, no, no, no, what the heck are you talking about!! And after all that I went through....”

“But you didn’t really go through much?”

A familiar face popped up from some random laptop behind them, hugging a half-pink, half-white rabbit door and tilting her head. Nanami had apparently heard everything about what was going on with Tanaka and the others. 

“Shut up!! You....you don’t know how hard it is to get through Togami staring down at you....sniff...the real one, for that matter.”

“Oi, you don’t have to emphasize ”real“ that much. Tch.”

The Super High School Level Imposter clicked his tongue like he used to when he was pretending to be Togami Byakuya. However, now that he wasn’t trying to mimick anyone—he said he wanted to live as himself, just after he woke up—the students had discovered several new things about him; his hair colour was actually light brown, his personality was a lot kinder and shyer then when he was imposing Togami, and so on. Yet he hadn’t thrown away his talent as a Super High School Level Impostor, his main job being a spy for the future foundation. 

“But what should we do about this? He...he returned to us once from the death....no way we’ll let that happen in front of our eyes again! Ever!”

Sonia was in verge of tears again as she shouted determinedly. Kuzuryuu sighed, as he knew how Sonia felt about this matter since he saw her as a shivering mess right after Gundam’s trial once. He, also, was not about to just let the future foundation kill their friend as they pleased. It didn’t matter whether he was Super High School Level Despair right now or not. His life, once saved by Peko in that program, had again been rescued from starvation by his actions...and there was no way Kuzryuu Fuyuhiko wasn’t going to return the favor. 

“If it comes to the worst and he’s still like that after a month, let’s just take him and run away.”

“But where? Everywhere out there is a mess except for the areas covered by the Future Foundation...or people in Monokuma masks beating the crap outta sensible people like us.”

“Jeez, are you guys all dumb or what? Even if there is someplace safe, there’s no way we’re gonna be safe moving that guy in that state.....he’s probably ready to set snakes and scorpions and probably every single known lethal animal on us because we didn't give him the despair of being executed like he wanted.”

Saionji’s personality apparently hadn’t gotten anywhere—getting sliced in the throat did not help even one bit—but she had a good point. Even if they excluded the part about running away, it was still very unlikely that Tanaka would just sit there and watch while they tried to get near him. 

“Is-is he really the Tanaka-san we....we know? Can...can that be called the real Tanaka-san? I-I know ways to let him die p-peacefully....”

“Shut up, you ugly pig!”

“Uwaaaah! I-I’m sorry! Please forgive me...”

“...I think I’ve had enough of Tsumiki-san’s ”forgive me“s for a lifetime, so please, let’s not mention it?”

Sonia mentioned cautiously, the results of the disastrous third school trial still in her mind. The endless “forgive me”’s, the masochistic, orgasmic smile Tsumiki had on her face when she was found out as a blackened...that was so different from the real Tsumiki, a shy, kind girl that loved tending to other people’s wounds. ...Although her love for sick people was certainly a bit strange even before becoming Ultimate Despair. 

“But can we really call ”that“ Gundam? I mean...if he doesn’t have any memories of the island, that just means he’s...he’s somebody else...?”

The constant chattering and murmuring about what they should do about Gundam died off with a banging noise. Souda had hit the edges of the table, hard, with the spanner he was holding. His normally easygoing face was turning red, fuming with immense anger, that made everyone quiet down; even Saionji, who normally never gave a damn about whether Souda Kazuichi was angry or not. 

“What are you guys even talking about? Why is this even becoming a subject of debate?! We tried that much to get out of that fucking island with nobody dead! And here we are, with everybody alive, out of the island, so why are you guys talking about ”painless death“ or whatever?! That is Gundam, alright? He’s still Gundam, even if he has a weird tattoo on his forehead or he’s wearing a straightjacket!” 

Souda turned to the survivors of the Strawberry-Musket house with pleading eyes. They should know. Sonia-san, Hinata, Nanami, Oowari, Kuzuryuu, and even Komaeda....they should all know, right? Their friend had went through the Russian Roulette in order to look for clues that might let them escape; he had saved them from starvation, and even the last of his moments were used to worry about his hamsters, placing them somewhere safe before heading off to face off his destruction. He could return; he would definitely return to his former self, even if they had to force it out of him. 

“He-he’s a weird guy, and I hate him but-but he’s a good guy in heart! I’m not going to force you guys to go into danger! But don’t talk about losing our friend again....I’ve had enough of that for a lifetime in that island, and I’m not about to do it again!”

“Wow, Souda-kun, that was a great speech, especially coming from you... did you write it down in advance?”

“Hell no! And what do you mean, coming from me?! I always made great speeches!”

“....That I have to disagree with....”

And suddenly, all the depression and nervousness had gone out of them. They all started laughing like idiots, primarily laughing about Souda’s little ‘speech’ and teasing him about how impressed they were. However, it had certainly made them feel better, and that they had to agree on; their heads clear, it finally gave the former despairs a chance to think out a plan. 

“I-I can analyze the animals he uses the most, if I know about their poison beforehand I can prepare an antidote....”

Tsumiki timidly raised her hand, stuttering out the several animals she had managed to get a look at and what kind of antidotes they already had or could make. Which was of course, followed by everyone’s relieved sighs and Saionji’s angry outburst. 

“Then why didn’t you say so earlier, you fat pig?!” 

“Uwaah! I’m sorry! But....those animals, I’ve seen a lot of animal poison while I worked, but there’s a lot of them that I don’t recognize... It’s going to be hard, I think Gundam-kun managed to breed a new species or save an endangered one that isn’t really popular... do you think t-that Ultimate Pharmacist-san will help us....?”

“Not a chance. They hate our guts. We’re not getting any help.”

Fuyuhiko muttered out. Although it wasn’t something they preferred to speak out, some of their Future Foundation seniors were still sending suspicious, contemptuous looks toward them. Well, not just some. A lot of them. The worst part was that they couldn’t blame them for it; they had done things to deserve it. 

“B-but I can make them....if I have time....”

“Not a chance. We have a month. Maybe we can just talk to him behind a window?”

“We need some interaction, though, looking at him like he’s some criminal won’t help.”

“I can cut down all the animals, if you want.”

Pekoyama offered with a hopeful half-smile, her knife shining behind her back. Of course, it was rejected; considering that the very reason Gundam despaired at other people was the death of his animals caused by them, killing them off was not an option. Besides, even if they managed to eradicate the animals, they would keep coming at them; it was very well impossible to get rid of every single fauna in Japan. 

“....We can take his hamsters hostage.”

The offer was made from a computer screen. Everyone turned to her with surprised faces; the mechanic was the one to speak up first.

“Nanami, I don’t really think Super High School Level Despair cares whether or not his hamsters are dead....”

“No. You have to trust me, it’s okay if you only get one of them. It’s going to be enough to make him do what we want.” 

“But that’s the same as threatening him-”

“We are going to threaten him. You have to see, his four Devas of destructions are the key. Getting our hands on them is Gundam-kun’s key to salvation. We need to get a bit forceful.”

Everyone in the room looked bewildered at what Nanami was saying, trying to understand the meaning of her word. There was one person, however, that seemed as if he got it. 

Komaeda Nagito started laughing like a total madman, clapping his hands and complimenting the gamer. An insane smile had come over his face, a smile of ecstasy and excitement looming over his face. 

“A...haha...ahahaha! Of course! If Nanami-san’s right, and Gundam-kun has any kind of love left for his hamsters, taking them hostage will earn him a free pass- indeed, the best way of turning ultimate despair into ultimate hope! This is going to be the most amazing, brightest hope I ever see!”

“Well then, explain that brightest hope thing to me, because I’m not getting it!”

It didn’t take a lot of Komaeda’s rambles to anger Souda. He literally looked as if he could hit the white-haired over in the head with his signature spanner if he didn’t tell them what his words meant. The luckster, however, replied with a small flash of smile; it didn’t feel like he would start talking anytime soon. Nor did Nanami, who started on a game of chess with some kind of chess program developed by Alter Ego. 

“Okay, fine, let’s just do as they say first and see what happens. Nanami’s rarely wrong with her logic, and as much as I hate to admit it, that git-” Kuzuryuu stared long and hard at Komaeda while he said this-“is also rarely wrong with his logic. The question is, how do we even manage to get the hamsters when we can’t take a step without being assaulted?”

“I can just run straight forward and grab them? With old man Nidai?”

Oowari offered helpfully, looking up from her array of food. Her head got bonked by the team manager several seconds later, with a scolding from him telling her that there was no way he was going to walk in there with no protection and that there was also no way he was letting her do something that rash. 

“We have to utilize our talents to the most. I’ll make a gun that can shoot some kind of net, something that will manage to capture small animals without hurting them.”

That was, of course, from none other than Souda. Hell, he actually had a prototype of something similar to that, although the last thing he thought about was using them on hamsters. The initial goal was to capture rats and mice without any violence, blood, or poison involved; Sonia had felt sorry for the mice every single time they got caught in a trap and their legs bled. Besides,

“That’s....actually a lot better than what any of us can think of. Souda, are you sure you don’t have a fever?”

“What the hell?!? No! I was always this awesome! Right, Sonia-san?”

“.....”

“Sonia-san! Please don’t ignore me!” 

Just then, the door opened with a bang, revealing a huffing Naegi crashing into the room and desperately closing the door. The others looked at him incredulously; even Souda stopped nagging at Sonia for a moment, startled at his appearance. 

“Naegi-kun, what happened?!”

“A....A tiger.....huff...”

“.....What about a tiger?”

“G-Gundam-san got loose, and there’s a tiger in the Future Foundation premises!”

There was silence for a moment. Was it indeed April Fools? Was Naegi playing a prank on them just for the sake of it? It didn’t seem like there was any kind of animal out there, let alone a tiger....until Ibuki timidly raised her hand.

“Umm....Ibuki thinks she’s hearing some kind of growling out there...this is a joke, right?” 

\---------------------------------------------------  
Hi everyone! Thank you so much for reading this, it's been such a long time since i posted the last chapter.....i had no idea where to go from there so i tried to think something up, but i only just realized i had peanuts in the place for my brains and that i had no thinking abilities whatsoever so whatever :( yay there's a tiger in the future foundation! next theres going to be flying pigs and asparagus with legs in the FF premises too wowee!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm not a native english speaker, and this is...umm...probably my third or forth language, so I'm a really bad writer I guess ;( I love Souda x Gundam so much so I wanted to write about them! I guess I'll get better at writing....? at least I hope so  
> Next chapters are probably gonna be a lot longer than this...


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